Auction Action: 9/05

Feature Article from Hemmings Muscle Machines

Our Little Margie's ride
Marge Schott loved her native Cincinnati as if it was life itself. The well-humored, frequently coarse widower donated lavishly to local hospitals, private schools and even the city zoo. When she died last March at 75, her legacy of charity had been tainted by scathing public remarks she made regarding minorities in racially riven Cincinnati, and by publicly suggesting that Adolf Hitler wasn't such a bad guy after all. That statement led Major League Baseball to remove her as majority owner of the Cincinnati Reds.

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Schott left an estate estimated at more than $120 million. Last month, a small part of it went on the block when a collection of specialty cars were auctioned off at Schott Buick, founded by her late husband, Charles. The (Cincinnati) Enquirer reported that most of the cars were in decrepit shape, having been carelessly stored for years either at the dealership or Schott's estate, and several didn't run.
Our favorite was this 1963 Corvette split-window coupe that brought $30,200. That wasn't even the top bid of the event, as Davis & Associates hammered a 1966 Corvette roadster for $37,000. We can learn two things here: There are still Corvette people willing to tackle handyman's specials like these, and tabloid celebrity means next to nothing when it comes to cars.
The Big Noise
If you were in south-central Illinois recently, and suddenly felt a rush of air that bent the trees radically, there was no need to panic and look for a tornado shelter. All that wind was the collective inrushing of the throng when they gasped at Bloomington Gold's top sale. One of the nation's premier all-Corvette happenings, the Mecum auctioneers dropped the hammer on a 1967 Corvette big-block roadster as it sold for $393,750.
Inexplicable, you say? Not quite, because this Marlboro Maroon item was one of just 16 Corvettes delivered that year, in either body style, with the rare L-89 engine option. Selecting that code meant you got the 427-cu.in., 435hp big-block V-8 as a "mandatory option," equipped with L-89 aluminum cylinder heads. With the heads alone priced at $368.65, L-89 cars tended to be very well optioned, and were considered more streetable than the brutal L-88 Corvette, of which 20 were built. This L-89, incidentally, is believed to be the only one still carrying its numbers-matching original block.
Ironically, another big story at Bloomington Gold involved the aforementioned L-88. It was a burgundy 1969 coupe that reached a high bid of $175,000 and was topped only by the $192,000 offered for a blue 1963 split-window coupe as the auction's loftiest no-sale.
Surprising Southern Sleeper
Kruse International is well known for hosting bunches of smaller, regional auctions in some unlikely locales. One such example occurred the first weekend of July at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo Park in Franklin, Tennessee, not far from Nashville. One of the more intriguing lots, despite the fact that it didn't sell, was this 1971 Ford Ranchero Squire.
The car is significant on a number of levels. First, the Ranchero Squire was a standalone model in 1971, and just 2,595 were built. By way of comparison, the Ranchero GT outsold it by more than 1,000 units. The hidden headlamps make for an interesting touch, and the non-callout hood scoop indicates this Squire was equipped with the 4-bbl., 285hp 351 Cleveland V-8 with the gears handled by a C-6 automatic. Also, 1971 was the final year for the unibody Ranchero before Ford reverted to body-on-frame construction.
Based on the Kruse Web site photo, it looked like a nice enough car, probably a decent 3, but the top bid of $12,000 was rejected. That's likely because the seller recognized it as a seldom-seen offshoot of Ford's performance years.
Other Auction ResultsMay 21: Silver Collector Car Auctions, Puyallup, Washington

Model

Year

Notes

Price

Corvette

1990

Convertible, 6-speed

$10,600

El Camino

1971

350, automatic

$8,300

Malibu

1969

Hardtop, automatic

$10,600

Malibu

1966

Hardtop, automatic

$17,500

Nova

1971

Hardtop, 350, automatic

$21,000

June 10-12: Leake Auction, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Model

Year

Notes

Price

4-4-2

1969

Hardtop, 400/325hp, automatic

$20,000

Belvedere II

1965

Coupe, 440/375hp, automatic

$19,800

Camaro

1967

SS clone, 396, automatic

$10,800

Camaro

1967

Convertible, 327, 4-speed

$28,500

Camaro

1967

Hardtop, 350, 4-speed

$28,500

Camaro

1968

RS hardtop, 327, automatic

$17,900

Camaro

1968

RS hardtop, 350, automatic

$18,000

Camaro

1968

Hardtop, 396/325hp, automatic

$37,500

Camaro

1969

Pace car convertible, 440, automatic

$55,000

Camaro

1969

SS coupe, 350, 4-speed

$20,000

Camaro

1969

Yenko clone, 427, automatic

$29,000

Camaro

1969

Z/28 coupe, 302, 4-speed

$20,000

Camaro

1973

Z28, 350, 4-speed

$15,500

Challenger

1970

Coupe, 340, 4-speed

$27,800

Challenger

1970

Convertible, 340, automatic

$53,000

Challenger

1973

Rallye coupe, 340, automatic

$18,900

Charger

1968

R/T clone, 383, 4-speed

$11,700

Charger

1969

Hardtop, 440/375hp, automatic, "General Lee"

$28,500

Charger

1970

R/T hardtop, 440, automatic

$30,500

Chevelle

1966

SS convertible, 396, automatic

$18,000

Chevelle

1968

Convertible, 327, automatic

$8,900

Chevelle

1968

SS hardtop, 396/350hp, 4-speed

$28,500

Chevelle

1969

SS hardtop, 396, automatic

$22,800

Chevelle

1969

SS hardtop, 396/350hp, 4-speed

$12,200

Chevelle

1969

SS hardtop, 427/525hp, automatic

$14,000

Chevelle

1970

Hardtop, 454, automatic

$23,000

Chevelle

1970

SS hardtop, 454/425hp, 4-speed

$35,000

Chevelle

1970

SS hardtop, 396, automatic

$30,500

Coronet

1967

Post-coupe, 440, automatic

$19,500

Coronet

1967

R/T hardtop, 440/375hp, automatic

$17,500

Coronet

1967

R/T convertible, 440, automatic

$31,000

Coronet

1969

R/T hardtop, 440/390hp, 4-speed

$22,600

Corvette

1966

Convertible, 427/390hp, 4-speed

$50,000

Corvette

1966

Coupe, 427/425hp, 4-speed

$76,000

Corvette

1967

Coupe, 427/435hp, 5-speed

$50,000

Corvette

1973

Coupe, 454/275hp, automatic

$14,500

Cutlass

1971

Hardtop, 455, 4-speed

$52,500

Cutlass

1971

Convertible, 350, automatic

$13,400

El Camino

1970

396/325hp, automatic

$9,300

Firebird

1969

Hardtop, 350, automatic

$20,000

G.T. 350

1969

Fastback, 351, automatic

$54,500

G.T. 500

1969

"King Cobra" coupe, 428, automatic

$147,500

G.T. 500KR

1968

Fastback, 428/335hp, 4-speed

$82,500

Galaxie XL

1970

Fastback, 429, automatic

$11,000

GTO

1965

Convertible, 389, 4-speed

$47,500

GTO

1966

Convertible, 389, automatic

$29,800

GTO

1968

Convertbile, 389, 4-speed

$38,400

GTO

1969

Hardtop, 400, 4-speed

$16,200

GTO

1970

Convertible, 455, automatic

$37,400

GTO

1970

Convertible, 455 HO, automatic

$79,000

GTX

1970

Hardtop, 440/375hp, 4-speed

$37,000

Impala

1962

SS hardtop, 327/300hp, automatic

$13,400

Impala

1964

SS hardtop, 327/250hp, automatic

$13,700

Impala

1964

SS convertible, 283, automatic

$20,300

Javelin

1970

SST hardtop, 360/290hp, automatic

$14,700

Monte Carlo

1971

Coupe, 350, automatic

$7,300

Mustang

1965

Convertible, 289, automatic

$13,500

Mustang

1965

Coupe, 289/200hp, automatic

$14,000

Mustang

1965

Fastback, 289, automatic

$17,000

Mustang

1965

GT coupe, 289, automatic

$23,000

Mustang

1965

GT coupe, 289/225hp, automatic

$13,400

Mustang

1966

Convertible, 289/225hp, automatic

$14,100

Mustang

1966

Fastback 2+2, automatic

$21,000

Mustang

1967

Coupe, 390, automatic

$8,900

Nova

1966

Hardtop, 350, automatic

$12,300

Nova

1968

Hardtop, pro-street, 406

$7,800

Road Runner

1972

Hardtop, 400, automatic

$12,300

Super Bee

1969

Hardtop, 440/375hp, 4-speed

$29,000

Torino

1968

GT hardtop, 390, automatic

$6,500

Viper

1993

Convertible, V-10, 6-speed

$30,400

Viper

2003

SRT/10 Convertible, V-10, 6-speed

$60,000

June 18: Mecum MSRA Back to the '50s, St. Paul, Minnesota

Model

Year

Notes

Price

Camaro

1973

Z28, 454, 4-speed, modified

$14,700

Camaro

1973

Z28 replica

$18,200

Camaro

1973

Sport coupe, 454/400hp, automatic

$11,100

Chevelle

1967

SS coupe, 350, 4-speed

$29,000

Chevelle

1970

SS hardtop, 454/390hp, automatic

$34,400

Chevelle

1970

SS hardtop replica, 454/350hp, automatic

$15,000

Corvette

1973

Coupe, 454/270hp, automatic

$17,900

Cutlass

1972

Convertible, 350, automatic

$12,300

Fairlane 500

1963

Convertible, 390, automatic, modified

$9,500

Firebird

1969

Coupe, 400/335hp, 4-speed

$12,900

GTO

1965

Convertible, 389, automatic

$15,500

GTO

1965

Convertible, 389, 4-speed

$40,700

GTO

1970

Convertible, 400/350hp, 4-speed

$20,500

Impala

1964

SS post-coupe, 350/300hp, automatic

$11,000

Impala

1964

SS convertible, 283, automatic

$25,500

Impala

1966

Sport coupe, 283, automatic

$8,900

Mustang

1967

Convertible, 289, automatic

$14,000

Mustang

1969

Coupe, 351, 4-speed

$14,200

Mustang

1969

Mach 1 fastback, 351, 4-speed

$16,500

Nova

1966

SS coupe, 350/300hp, crate engine, automatic

$27,300

Nova

1967

SS coupe, 350/300hp, automatic

$28,900

Polara 500

1964

Convertible, 318, automatic

$24,200

Road Runner

1969

Hardtop, 383/330hp, automatic

$31,500

Sport Fury

1964

Coupe, 361, automatic

$15,800

Torino

1970

Hardtop, 429/360hp Thunder-Jet

$11,500

June 24-26: Bloomington Gold Corvettes USA, St. Charles, Illinois

Model

Year

Notes

Price

Corvette

1965

Coupe, 327/350hp, 4-speed

$35,700

Corvette

1965

Coupe, 396/425hp, 4-speed

$147,000

Corvette

1967

Convertible, 427/390hp, automatic

$82,400

Corvette

1967

Coupe, 427/390hp, non-original engine

$34,700

Corvette

1969

Convertible, 427/390hp, 4-speed

$31,000

Corvette

1970

Convertible, 454/390hp, 4-speed

$33,600

Corvette

1970

LT-1 convertible, 350/370hp, 4-speed

$53,600

Corvette

1971

LS-6 Convertible, 454/425hp, automatic

$162,800

Corvette

1972

Convertible, 350/200hp, automatic

$38,300

Corvette

1972

Coupe, 454/270hp, 4-speed

$34,100

Corvette

1979

Coupe, 350/225hp, automatic

$10,000

Corvette

1984

Coupe, 350/205hp, automatic

$8,600

Corvette

1991

ZR-1 coupe, 350/370hp, 6-speed

$41,000

Corvette

1993

Coupe, 350/300hp, 6-speed

$9,100

Corvette

1996

Convertible, 350/300hp, automatic

$26,800

Corvette

2004

Convertible, 350/350hp, automatic

$38,900

This article originally appeared in the September, 2005 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines.